Residents fear Concordia expansion

Concordia University officials insist their expansion plan
for the historic Grey Nuns site on René Lévesque Blvd. is in an
embryonic state - just a concept at this point.

By The Gazette (Montreal)November 29, 2008

Concordia University officials insist their expansion plan for the historic Grey Nuns site on René Lévesque Blvd. is in an embryonic state - just a concept at this point.

But many area residents are already in a lather, fearing that future expansion will mean more noise and a loss of scarce green space downtown.

In a study presented to the Conseil du patrimoine de Montréal last spring, the university outlined how and where it wants to expand on the sprawling property bounded by Guy and St. Mathieu Sts.

The concept involves demolishing two buildings - the garage and kitchen at the back of the property- and extending the convent wing on St. Mathieu onto what is now green space. The new pavilion would include five or six storeys aboveground and four underground, almost doubling the space available to the university on the site.

That vision for the property would mean cutting 45 trees, including 27 with high conservation value, said the opinion handed down by the city's heritage council, which was favourable overall toward the concept although it expressed several reservations.

When it starts consulting stakeholders in the new year about its vision for the site, Concordia can expect to get an earful from some area residents.

"Everybody is up in arms about this," said Roger Peace, the head of the Shaughnessy Village Association, which has nearly 300 members. When he sent an email to association members about Concordia's vision for the site, Peace said he received more responses than for any other issue.

People think "they should just leave (the site) alone," he said.

Extending the wing on St. Mathieu would create a wall of concrete, Peace said. "Visually it's going to spoil the area."

"There are not very many historical sites like that in Montreal. And we feel very, very strongly that it should be kept the same," Peace said.

"There are lots of other spaces in the area ... that Concordia could develop."

Concordia acquired the Grey Nuns property in 2004 and will gradually take over the site by 2022. Still home to 200 nuns, the property is classified as a historic site and its chapel has been designated a historic monument. The chapel will be deconsecrated but will remain intact.

Concordia wants to consolidate all its fine arts activities on the site and create an arts complex. Because the property is a historic site they've consulted with Quebec's Culture Department about the best steps for developing the project, said Martine Lehoux, the university's director of facilities planning and development.

What they've discussed with the ministry and municipal officials and presented to the Conseil du patrimoine de Montréal is a theoretical "positioning" of a potential project, she said.

"There's nothing cast in stone until it's a project," said Clarence Epstein, Concordia's director of special projects and cultural affairs. "And the only way we'll get to a project is if we develop a process that is very solid and incorporates as much advice and as much support as we can," he said.

Concordia officials contend their conceptual plan is faithful to the original 19th century design for the site by architect Victor Bourgeau, which called for a longer building wing on St. Mathieu. It would also result in a net gain of green space - 1,100 square metres - they say. That includes the greening of paved areas behind the building where trees could be planted.

Epstein said they don't know how many trees would be replaced because there isn't an exact project yet.

"It will remain one of the most prized green spaces but it will be truer to its original plan than it was," Epstein said. "And it will serve the interests of more people than it ever has. Because you have to remember this site in its current situation is off-limits to the public."

Don Ramsey can see the leafy gated grounds from his row house on St. Mathieu. "Why can't they develop somewhere else in the area?" he asked.

After Concordia consults with its university community and outside stakeholders - like area residents - their next step is to seek a zoning change for the site, which isn't now zoned for academic use. The university will later launch a pan-Canadian architectural competition for the project's design.

"Then we'll be able to talk about a project," Lehoux said.

Epstein said he did not know when the university would present a formal building plan to the Ville Marie borough. "We won't submit something to the borough until we are confident that it's the right step."

Story Tools

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.